Device for lubricating



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. K. HARDWIGKE. DEVICE FOR LUBRIOATING, COOLING, AND CLEANING OAR JOURNALS.

Patented Nov. 26, 1889.

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WITNESSES.

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ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

' J. K. HARDWIGKE. DEVICE FOR LUBRIOATING, COOLING, AND CLEANING GAR JOURNALS.

Patented Nov. 26, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES K. HARD\VICKE, OF MARSHALL, NORTH CAROLINA.

I DEVICE FOR LUBRICATING, COOLING, AND CLEANING CAR-JOURNALS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 415,910, dated November 26, 1889. Application filed February 8, 1889. Serial No. 299,121. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES K. HARDWICKE, of Marshall, in the county of Madison and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and Improved Device for Lubricating, Coolmg, and Cleaning Journals and Bearings, of

which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved device for automatically oiling and cooling journals and bearings, and for automatically cleaning the same from gum or other matter in case of overheating.

Theinvention consists in certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will hereinafter, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation-of the improvement as applied to a ear-truck, shown 2 is a transverse section of the same.

Journals and bearings were heretofore lubricated by either placing the lubricant directly in the bearing or in a reservoir held above the bearing and connected with the same in some suitable manner. In the latter case the lubricant flows into the bearing by gravity, or it maybe forced into the same by pressure applied in some suitable manner.

Various means, such as described in Patent No. 301,607, granted July 8, 1884, to 11.0. Johnson and F. H. Cushing, have been employed to cool the bearing and journal to prevent overheating. In order to effectively prevent overheating, it is necessary that the journal and bearing should be frequently supplied with a fresh lubricant, and in case of overheating the gummy matter produced by the igniting of the lubricant must be removed from the contacting surfaces of the journal and bearing, and the latter again supplied with a fresh lubricant. In order to producethis result, I supply the journal. and bearing with a lubricant from a small vessel, which is connected with a larger reservoir containing a large quantity of lubricant and provided with a valve operated automatically at suitable intervals to fill the small vessel with a fresh lubricant from the reservoir. Vhen the bearing and journal become overheated, the heat generated melts a fusible plug held in a pipe leading to a receptacle suspended over the journal alongside the reservoir before mentioned. This receptacle contains an alkaline solution, so that when the fusible plug is meltedit flows into the journal and bearing, cools the same, and cleans it of all gummy or fusible matter, which, if allowed to remain, covers up the bearing and its journal. The gummy matter is dissolved by the alkaline solution and flows into the bottom of the journal-box.

In order to carry the described operation into effect, I provide the means presently to be described.

The carA is provided with the usual truck B, carrying the journal boxes or bearings G, into which extend the usual journals E, held on the axles D, carrying the usual wheels D, traveling on the rails D In the top of each bearing C is held a pipe F, which discharges or opens onto the top of the journal E and into a shallow longitudinal groove or slot on the under surface of said bearing 0, (the groove to extend within half an inch of each end of bearing and journal.) The pipe F extends from a small vessel G, containing the lubricant by which the journal E and the bearing 0 are to be lubricated.

In the top of the-small vessel G is formed a valve-seat II, connecting the small vessel G with a reservoir I, held above the small vessel G and supported by suitable means from the truck B. In the valv'e-seatI-I is fitted a valve J, secured on the lower end of a valvestem J, extending upward through the top of the reservoir I and pivotally connected wit-h a lever K, pivoted at K to the top of the reservoir I. A spring J 2 is coiled 011 the valve-stein J on the inside of the reservoir I, and serves to hold the valve J in its seat H until removed by force.

The lever K is pivotally connected at its outer end with a downwardly-extending rod L, mounted to slide vertically in suitable bearings formed on the truck B. On the lower end of the rod L is mounted to turn a wheel L, adapted to travel over a short rail N, located alongside one of the track-rails D l and beveled at its end N, as is plainly shown in Fig. 1. A number of such short rails N are located along the track suitable distances apart, so that when the wheel L travels up one of the inclined ends N it raises the lever K and unseats the valve J from its seat H. The lubricant contained in the reservoir I then flows into the small vessel G, which is thus supplied with a fresh quantity of lubricant.

The lubricant contained in the small vessel G is generally used up while the car travels from one rail to the next succeeding rail N, and the vessel .G is always recharged as soon as the wheel L travels over one of the rails N. The latter is made of sufficient length to allow the lubricant to flow from the vessel I into the vessel G to fill the latter. As soon as the wheel L travels over the other end of the rail N, the spring J 2 again seats the valve J on its seat II, thereby disconnecting the small vessel G from the reservoir I.

Alongside the reservoir I is held a receptacle O, which contains an alkaline solution, preferably a solution of ammonia. From the bottom of the receptacle 0 leads a pipe P, which extends into the bearing 0 and discharges onto the top of the journal E. A fusible cap Q, having a low melting-point, closes .the lower end of the tube or pipe P and bears directly upon the journal E, so that when the latter heats sufficiently to cause trouble, or render it probable, then the fusible cap Q melts and opens the lower end of the tube P, and the alkaline solution is permitted to flow from the receptacle Q into the bearing 0 and onto the journal E, so as to remove all gum or other prod nets produced by the heating of the journal. The gummy vmatter is dissolved by the alkaline solution and may accumulate in the bottom of the journal-box. The alkaline solution has a further effect of cooling the journal E and the bearing 0 as soon as it comes in contact with the latter, and as the bearing and jour- ,nal receive a constant supply of fresh lubricant from the reservoir I and the vessel G no serious trouble will arise.

In the receptacle 0 is held a float R, secured to a rod R, mounted to slide vertically in suitable bearings on the carA and provided with a signal R which indicates whether the receptacle Ois filled or has automatically discharged, as before described.

The small vessel G, the reservoir 1, and the receptacle 0 are preferably formed in one piece of castiron, adapted to be removed from the truck B whenever the cap Q is melted, so as to place a new cap Q into the tube P, so that the receptacle 0 can be refilled with the alkaline solution. Any suitable means may be employed to hold the said castiron casing on the truck.

Having thus fully described my invention,

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with the journal-box and a reservoir communicating therewith, of a valve between said box and reservoir, provided with operating mechanism extending outside of the box, to be operated at stated intervals by projections along the roadway, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a reservoir containing a lubricant, of a small vessel held on the bottom of the said reservoir and c011- nected with the same by a valve-seat, a pipe leading from the said small vessel to the journal and bearing, a valve held in the valve-seat between the small vessel and the reservoir, said valve being opened and closed at stated intervals, and means, substantially as described, for opening and closing said valve at stated intervals, as set forth.

The combination, with short rails located along the track and placed suitable distances apart, of a rod carrying a friction-roller adapted to travel on the said rails, a lever pivotally connected with the said rod, a valve provided with a valve-stem pivoted on the said lever, a reservoir containing a lubricant and provided with a valve-seat in its bottom, on which said valve is held, and a small vessel connected with the said reservoir by the said valve-seat and discharging onto the journal and bearing, substantially as shown and described.

at. The combination, with short rails located along the track and placed suitable distances apart, of a rod carrying a friction-roller adapted to travel on the said rails, a lever pivotally connected with the said rod, a valve provided with a valve-stein pivoted on the said lever, a reservoir containing the lubri cant and provided with a valve-seat in its bottom, on which said valve is' held, a small vessel connected with the said reservoir by the said valve-seat and discharging onto the journal and bearing, and a spring held on the said valve-stem to seat the valve, substantially as shown and described.

5. A cooling and lubricating attachment for axle-boxes, comprising a casing divided into two receptacles or compartments to contain the cooling and lubricating liquids, pipes leading from the said receptacles into the caraxle box above the journal, a valve regulating the discharge of oil from the oil-receptacle, and a fusible plug closing communication between the other receptacle and the box, substantially as set forth.

6. A cooling and lubricating attachment for car-axle boxes, consisting in a casing divided into two compartments or receptacles,

pipes leading therefrom to points in the box over the journal, a valve regulating the flow of oil. from one receptacle, an automaticallyoperated lever connected therewith and operated at stated intervals from the road-bed, a fusible plug closing the lower end of the IIO pipe leading from the other receptacle, and an indicator for indicating when said latter receptacle requires filling, substantially as set forth.

7. In mechanism for cooling and lubricating car axles or journals, the combination,

with a car-axle box and its lubricating devices, of an alkaline-solutioil-containing receptacle communicating with the interior of the box, and afusible plug closing cominuni- 1o cation therebetween, substant1ally as set forth. V

- JAMES K. HARDWIOKE. Witnesses:

N. J. LANCE, F. T. VALSER, 

